Rockets’ Head Coach Huska’s Seventh Trip to Memorial Cup
By Kevin Parnell – Kelowna Capital News (Photo: Aaron Bell/CHL Images) — There are a lot of hockey people that would love to be in Ryan Huska’s shoes this week.
The second-year head coach of the Kelowna Rockets has guided his team to the biggest junior hockey tournament in the country: The 2009 Memorial Cup in Rimouski.
Incredibly, it’s Huska’s seventh time participating in the tournament: Three with Kamloops as a player and three with the Rockets as an assistant coach.
“There are a lot of teams that would give their left eye to be here,” said Huska, relaxing at the end of day one at the Memorial Cup. “You have to feel fortunate to be here and you really have to enjoy it.
“I do think back and reflect on the other tournaments. The most important thing for us to understand is not to get going slowly. It’s not easy to win this tournament if you have to claw your way back after a bad start. ”
If it sounds like Huska knows what he’s talking about that’s because he does. Not only has he been to six Memorial Cups, his track record for winning them is pretty darn good, having claimed three Memorial Cup rings as a player with Kamloops and another with the 2004 Kelowna Rockets as an assistant coach.
“I feel fortunate to be a part of two good organizations,” Huska said. “I played for a terrific organization in Kamloops and I was very fortunate to get involved with Kelowna. Both are professional organizations but in particular Kelowna. Bruce (Hamilton) has always set an example of doing things the right way and expecting to win.”
When the Rockets arrived in Rimouski they went straight to the Colisée, an aging building with tons of character. Rockets’ players took it all in, wide-eyed with anticipation as they snapped photos and checked out their digs for the next week.
It was a moment Huska said the players will always remember.
“I think it’s great,” he said. “When you first get to the rink it’s great to see how excited the kids are. They don’t worry about unpacking their equipment or anything. They want to see the ice surface for the first time. They saw the tents everywhere and at that point they realize that they’re really here.”
Having been to six Memorial Cup’s already Huska has a clear understanding of what his players are going through. Having a couple of days to get their feet under them will be important and trying to limit the distractions will be a key.
“When we have our time to prepare as a team at the rink it’s time to focus and it’s hockey time,” he said. “But I do think they need their time to enjoy the atmosphere here and all the things that are going on.
“We’ll slot time for them to be with their family but we’re here to win this thing.”